Mesh machine



NVENTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet %N NN `NN llll F. H. LYNDS MESH MACHINE FiledDec.

nnb --1---1 \N\ Nov. 22, 1932.

Nov. 22, 1932. F. H. LYNDS 1,888,277

MESH MACHINE Filed Deo. 12. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6, Figli- INV NTORATTORN EY5 Nov. 22, 1932. F. H. LYNDs 1,388,277

MESH MACHINE Filed Dec. 12. `1931 3 Sheets--Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS 5c LformingV its functions at a high rate of speed,

Patented Nov. 22, 1932 1- UNH-TED 4*STATES* PATENT normes FREDH. LYNns,Aor Norvrrr A'rTLnBono; MASS`,Ac:;HUSr.rTS,` ASSIGNoR To Wammes :DAVISCOMPANY, or PLAINVILLE, MAsSAoHUsErrsA conrosArroN orMAssA- f MESH;MACHINE Application filed December 12,'v 1931.1` Serialv N0.V 75820,603.

Y This inventionzfrelates to the manufacture of link meshk fabric and ofarticles made therefrom. YMore particularly, the invention is concernedwith a novel machine for removing links from/,mesh` fabric of theish-scale variety,l so that the fabric may be readily cut into piecessuitable for use in the vmanuconnected to four different rings in themesh, A

and'each ringvreceives the legs 'of four different spiders In a hatpiece of the mesh,

there-are alternate rows or' rings and spidersf extending in onedirection'and 'alternate rows of rings and spiders extending atright'angles to the iirst rows, while each bias row.

is made Yup of rings `and spiders in alternation.; f n

Inthe' manufacture of vlarticles such Vas handbags from this typeofmesh, it has been the practice heretofore to perform by hand all'operations necessary to obtaining'small,

pieces of mesh of the desired shape'and size from the' larger web. F orthat purpose, the operative laid the mesh upside down; on a iat surface,located :the spiders to be re;- moved by counting along the rows, bentback the legs of the selected spiders so that they would pass throughtheir rings, 'and thus removed thespiders. It the spiders were thus,

removed from a row made up entirely of spiders, the web was separatedinto two pieces, but if the spiders were removed from bias rows, theremaining rings had to be cut by shears to complete the operation. The

cutting of mesh fabricgby these hand methods is slow and expensive andit addssubstan- Itially to the cost of the final product.

The presentvr invention is accordingly di-v rected to the provision of anovel machine by which the spiders can be removed from a piece Vofflsh-sc'ale-mesh, theY machine perremoving. the .spiders cleanly,-and-in no Way doing. injury to links other than those to be removed. Y Y

In .the .new machine, the piece of meshlto be` cutis fed forward tacedown on a suitable support, the mesh being advanced with a step by stepmovement. Atreachvperiod ofrest in the fmovement, avspider to be removedis brought into registry with a paifrfof cooperating tools andaone toolthen movies toward the mesh andfholds it kfirmly 'against the support,the tool engaging the'A mesh at spaced points around the spider to beremoved land holding the mesh/.firmly against movement relative to thesupport. Thesecond tool then moves toward the spider to belremoved,deforms it inv such manner as `to spreadits-legs apart to a considerableextent, and is then retracted,k Thereafter, a movable portion ofthe-holding `tool is actuated to engage the deformed" spider-and forceitv out of the mesh. `"lhe l combined holding andejectingLtool-thenmoves back to its original position, the mesh isadvanced another step, and the cycle of'operations is repeated;V Y t Thenew machinemaybe employed for cutting the "fabric lengthwise,transversely, or,

onu-the bias, the: latter operation--vbeingfthat commonly employed. Whenspider-sareremoved from the mesh along Vbias lines,thef

operationsare completed by lcutting the Yrings by hand, but! this issimple and easy and in no wayv comparable with manual removal yor thespiders. u

l F or a better understanding of the inven-` tion, reference may 1behadto theaccompanying drawings in: which Fig; l is a view of themachineof the inl vent-ion inside elevation with certain 'parts brokenmay.; r .'Fig. -2 is 'anend'viewof the machine;

,"Fig'. 3 isa sectional view on the line y'of Figl; 'i .i Fig. 4 is arsectionon the line l-lofFig. 3*;

Fig. 5 iS an enlarged sectional view4 show-l ing the oper-ation ofcertain partsol:l Vthe re-V moving tools;

Fig. .6 is a developed planA view illustrating t the operation of thetools;

lstart Fig. 7 is a developed plan view of a portion of the mesh support;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the tools;

F ig; 10 is an end view of the tool shown in Fig. 9;

, ig. 1 1 is an end view of apart of the machinegand Fig. 12 is asectional view through one of the slides in the machine.

The machine illustrated as an embodiment of the principles of theinvention comprises a base 11 with a standard 12 from which extendlateral arms 13 and 14. Mounted in a bearing. .in the standard andextending through the lower arm 14 is the main drive Shaft 15, the shaftbeing supported at its free i end in a bearing 16 mounted in a standard17 pro ectng upwardly from the base. A drive pulley 18 mounted looselyon the drive shaft and is movable lengthwise of the shaft by means of achanneled collar 19 on the shaft movable-along the latter by a bellcrank 20. The ulleycarries the male member 21 of a clutc A whichcooperates with the female member 22 keyed to the shaft and secured tothe face of the clutch member 22 is a gear 23 whichdrivesgear 24 on camshaft 25 through an idler gear.26. The cam shaft 25 extends thro h thearm 13 of the machine and is provi ed with a hand wheel 27 so that itcan be moved to set the machine properly for Tlijgshaft 15 is connectedto an aligned Shaft 27' by a coupling 28 within the arm 14 and shaft 27'carries a disc 29 on its end which is .provided with an eccentric pin 30having an enlarged head 31. The shaft 27 extends through a bushing 32 inthe end of arm 14, the bushing being held in place by a pin 33. Mountedon the end of the bushingf32 and encirclin the end flange 34 thereon isa cup f shaped e ement 35, this element constituting a part of the meansfor supporting and advancing the mesh to be operated on.

The element 35 as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8 is provided with aplurality of pockets 36 therein and around each pocket at a spacingof^909 are upstanding pins 37, other pins 38 being disposed along theedges of the element in alignment across the face of the latter with ins,37 which lie between the openings 36. If'he arrangement of the openingsand pins on the supporting element depends on the character of the meshwhich is to be operated on, the openings and pins being so arranged thatwhen a piece of mesh is placed in contact with the support, asillustrated in Fig. 6, a

spider 39 will llie above each of the openings 36 and the pins 37y and38 will extend through rin 40 of the mesh. It will be noted that witsthe pins 37 arranged at a spacing of 90 about each opening 36, one ofthose pins wheel is acted on by a pawl 43 held against the f face of thewheel by a coil spring 44. The pawl is mounted by means of a screw 45 ona plate 46 adjustably mounted in a slide 47. The plate 46 is movablerelative to the slide by means of adjusting screws 48 and 49 so` l thatthe position of the pawl relative to the vratchet can be exactlydetermined. The slide 47 is mounted in a recess in the end of the arm 14and is heldin place in that recess by the face of the ratchet wheel 42.The slide is provided with a vertical slot into which projects a pin 50eccentrically mounted in the end of a shaft 51 extending through the arm14 and driven by a gear 52 meshing with a gear 53 on the main drive 15.

lAs the shaft 51 rotates the pin causes slide 47 to reciprocatehorizontally and in its movement, the slide carries the pawl 43 whichengages the ratchet wheel 42 and causes that wheel and mesh support 35to advance with a step by step motion. The ratchet wheel is preventedfrom retrograde movement by a spring pressed pawl 54 mounted on a plate55 secured to the outer surface of the arm 14.

Within the open end of the mesh support 35, the bushing is provided withprojections 32 providing guideways for a pair of slides 56 and 57. Theslide 56 carries a tool 58 in its upper end and has an opening 59elongated horizontally for receiving the eccentric pin 30. As shaft 27is rotated, the eccentric movement of the pin causes slide 56 to move upand down and tool 58 passes through one of the openings 36 in thesupport at the end of its extreme upper movement. The pin strikes aspider in registry with the opening and deforms the spider, after whichthe latter is forced from the mesh into the opening by other means.

The slide 57 provides a means for clearing the deformed spiders from theopenings and this slide yhas an opening 60 elongated horizontallythrough which the pin 30 extends. The slide carries an ejector pin 61,mounted in a block 61 pinned in the slide and as the eccentric pinrevolves, the slide 57 is reciprocated horizontally and at the extremelimit of its movement in one direction, pin 61 passes through an opening36 in the support and forces out the deformed spider which has beendeposited therein. The spider is then acted on by an airiblast issuingfrom the pipe 62 and blown into a discharge chute 63.

The mesh to be operated on is fed upwardly by the operator along a plate64 which has an opening through which a portion of the top of thesupport 35 extends and the mesh is held in contactwith the support bymeans of a foot 66 on the end of a plunger 67 in a cylinder 68. A spring69 within the cylinder forces j the edge of the plate portion of thespider but masas??A the plunger'downwardly and the plunger is providedwitha pin extending through a slot 7l in the sidek of the cylinder sothat the foot canbe raised and held clear ofthe mesh against` theactionof its spring. Y f

The cam shaft-25 extends through a'bushing 72 in the end of the arm 13andthis bushing lies Within a tubular extension 73. from cam housing 74.The cam housing is held in place in the end of the arm 13 by means of apin 7 5. Y y

Withinthe cam housing is a cam disc 77 secured against rotationalmovement on the end ofthe shaft 25 by means of a lrey 78. The Vcam dischas a cam slot 79 inits face and into this slot projects a roller 8O onan extensionfrom a slide 8l. Slide 82 also has a roller 83 Ventering theslot V79. The slide 8l has afportion 8tffreely movable within a recess85 in the end of the slide 82. Threaded in the other end ofthe slide 82isa threaded adjusting block 86 which enters a slide 87 which hasan'open'ing in its end in which is mounted the tool-88. The slide 8l ispro-vid- .eddwith -an'ejector rod 89 which extends through alignedopenings in slide 82, block 86, slide 87, and tool 88. The camy disc V77 which is movableendwise relative tothe shaft 25 is held` in place bymeans of a cover 90. The surface of this coverV forms part of aguidewayforslides 8l, 82, and 87, the guideway be- .ing completed by acover plate 91 and there ,is an opening 92 in the coverv plate 91through which a tool may be applied to the body 93 of the `block 86 toprovide a delicate adjustment of the slide 87 relative to slide 82.

lThe tool 88 is securedvin the end of the slide 87 by means of a holdingscrew 94 and this tool is provided at its free end with four prongs 95.yThe shape and spacing of thesev prongs depend upon the type of mesh thatis being operated -on and the purposeY of the toolis to engage the meshat four sides of the spider which is to beremoved so as to preventmovement of the mesh during deformation VVof the spider. As illustratecin Fig. 6, each prong95 of thetool is so positioned as to overlie two ofthe four ringswith which the legs ofthe spider to be removed areengagedV and-the YVedge of each prong slightly overlies does notinterfere with that portion being distorted in connection with itsremoval.

In the operation of the device, the hand wheel 27'is rotated to turn theshafts to an extent suchthat the various slides driven therey by areretracted and outof operative position. The operator then 'places apiece of mesh on the feed'plate 64 and slides the mesh up so thatitslforward edge overlies the rota-ry supporting'elementB. The operatorthen ad-l justs the mesh so that the pins `37 and 38 on the supportentergringsin the mesh and the spiders which are to beremovedflie inregistry'with the openings'` throughV the support.

The foot66 is next let down on the top of the mes i so as to holdy it incontact with the support. The clutch is now thrown in and the machinedriven yby power. v

In the operation of removing a spider, the slides 82 and 87 aremoveddownward so as to bring the prongs 95 in the end of the tool88 intocontactrwith the mesh on all foursides of the spider to, be removed,rthetoolpassing through an opening formed in the foot' for` U this purpose.VThe position of the tool inthe slides is accurately adjusted so thatwhen it is dropped down it holds the mesh firmly at the four points`mentioned without `crushing or doing injury to the mesh. Immediatelyvafter thev contact of the tool with the. mesh, the slide inoves upwardand tool 58 onV its upper 4end passes through' an opening 3(3,engagesthe flat surface of a spider, and defornis the spider so that it assumesthe shapeillustrated at 96. In this deformation. of the spider, its legs97 are sprung` apart slightly.v The slide 56 is now retracted, movingitspin 58 away from the underside of the spider, and immediatelythereafter slide 8l is moved downward and the ejector rod 89 carriedtherein engages the deformed surface ofthe spider between the legs andforces the spider down into the pocket 36; In this operation, the legsare sprung clear of the links through which they extend. The ejector rod89 is mounted with a screw adjustment 98 in the slide 8l so that the pinmay be exactly posithe deformed spider has been removed from the mesh inthe manner described, thetool 88 and rod 89 are raised clear of the meshand the mesh support 35 is advanced by another step to bring the spiderin registry with the next opening 36 into alignment with pin 58 and tool88.

The deformed spiders 96 removed from the mesh in themanner describedremain in the pockets 36 until the support has made aquarter turn,inwhich position,thepocket in which the spider is carried.v lies inalignmentwith the ejector pin 6l on the slide 57. Deering` the period ofrest in which the pocket carryingthe deformed spider is inr registrationwith the pin 5l, slide 57 is moved to cause pin '51" to enter the pocketand force the deformed spider out in the path of the air blast 62. v

The mesh from Vwhich the spiders have been removed is carried away fromthe surface of thesupport 35 on an extension `99 of the feed plate Gliso that at the time the deformed spidersare removed from the pockets,the mesh is clear of the pins on the support l adjacent these pockets twill lbe seen that in the operation of the machine, the mesh ispositively supportedA and fed to operating position with a step by stepmovement and in the periods of rest of that movement, the mesh is kheld-iirmly again' st the su rt b means of the tool 88, this tool makiiipgOContact with the mesh at spaced points closely adjacent to the spiderthat is to be removed. This spider is then deformed by the tool 58 andremoved from the mesh by the ejector rod, the tool and rod alsooperating in the period of rest of the mesh. Similarly, the ejector pin61 which discharges the deformed spiders from the pocket operates in theperiod of rest of the mesh.

The machine operates at high rates of speed and has been regularlydriven at a speed such that 600 spiders are removed per minute. Afterthe machine is in operation, the operator performs no duties other thanto see that the mesh lies smoothly on the feed plate 64, the movement ofthe mesh being accomplished by means of the rotary su ort 35.

hen the machine is used for removing spiders from bias rows in thefabric, the mesh discharged from the machine still contains rings whichare left behind in those rows. These rings can then .be easily cut bymeans of shears to separate the two pieces of mesh.

I claim: c

1. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of means for advancing a piece of the fabric, means forholding the mesh adjacent the link to be removed, means for (,listortingsaid link, and means for forcing the distorted link from the fabric.

2. A machine for removing links from linkimesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of means for supporting and advancing a piece of thefabric, means for holding the fabric adjacent the link to be removed,means for distorting said link, and

means for forcing the distorted link from the fabric.

3. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe com- -bination of means for supporting and advancing a piece of thefabric, means cooperating with the supporting means for holding thefabric adjacent the link to be removed and means for forcing rsaid linkfrom the fabric.

4. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combi1 nation of means for advancing a pince of fabric, means forholding the fabric adjacent the link to be removed. and means forremoving said link from the fabric.

5. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of means for advancing a piece of fabric, means forholding the fabric adjacent the link to be removed. and means fordistorting said link and forcing it out of the fabric.

6. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of means for advancing a piece of fabric with a step bystep movement, means operative in the periods of rest of said movementfor holdin the fabric adjacent the link tobe remove and means operativeduring said periods for removing said link from the fabric.

7. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of means for supporting and advancing a piece of fabricwith a step by step motion, means cooperating with the supporting meansforholding the fabric adjacent the link to be removed, and means forremoving saidv link from the fabric.

8. A machine for removing links from linkmesh fabric which com rises thecombination of an element momible step by step for supporting andadvancing a piece of fabric, means cooperating With the element forholding the fabric against the support to prevent movement of the fabricrelative to the supports, said means engaging the fabric adjacent thelink to be removed, and means for removing said link from the fabric. Y

9. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of a rotary element for supporting and advancing a pieceof fabric., means for rotating the element step by step, means operativeduring the periods of rest of said movement for holding the piece offabric inplace on said element, and means operative during said periodsof rest for removing links from said fabric.

10. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of an element for supporting and advancing a piece offabric, means cooperating intermittently With said element tohold thepiece of fabric against movement relative to said element and means forremovin links from saidfabric adjacent the place W ere it is held.

l1. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of an element for supporting and advancing a piece offabric, means cooperating with the element to hold the piece of fabricagainst movement relativek to said element, said holding means acting onportions of the fabric around the link to be removed, and means forremoving said link from the fabric.

12. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of an element for supporting and advancing a piece offabric, means cooperating with the element to hold the piece of fabricagainst movement relative to said element, said holding means actingintermittently and engaging portions of the fabric around the successivelinks to be removed, and means for removing said links successively fromthe fabric while surrounding portions of the fabric are being held.

13. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination'of a rotary element for supporting and advancing a pieceof mesh fabric, said element having openings registering with 'the linksto be removed from said piece, means operating to hold th-e fabricagainst the support, said means engaging the fabric around saidopenings, means within the element movable through said openings todeform the links in registry therewith, and means for removing saiddeformed links from said fabric.

14. A machine for removing links from` i link mesh fabric whichcomprises the combination of a rotary element for supporting andadvancing a piece of'mesh fabric, said element having openingsregistering with the links to be removed from said piece, meansoperating to hold the fabric against the support, said meansengaging thefabric around said openings, means withinthe element movablev throughsaid openings to deform the links in registry therewith, means formoving said deformed links from said fabric and into said openings, kandmeans for ejecting said links from said openings.

15. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of a rotary element for supporting and advancing a pieceof mesh fabric, a member cooperating with the element for holding thepiece of fabric against movement relative to said element, a tooloperative to engage successive links in the fabric and deform saidlinks, and an ejector acting on said deformed links and forcing themfrom the fabric.

16. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesmeans for supporting and advancing a piece of link mesh fabric, meansengaging said fabric to prevent its movement relative to said support,and means for removinglinks from said fabric While it is thus supportedand held.

17. A machine for. removing links 'from link mesh fabric which comprisesmeans for supporting and advancing a piece of link mesh fabric, meansengaging said fabric to prevent its movement relative to said support,and means for removing links from said fabric While it is thus supportedand held, said supporting and advancing means operating to advance saidfabric with a. step by step movement, and said removing means operatingduring the periods of rest of said movement.

18. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric which comprisesthe combination of a-support for a piece of mesh movable to advance thelatter, means for holding the mesh on said support, a tool operable toengage successive links in the mesh and deform them to facilitatek theirremoval', and: an ejector engagingv the* kde# formed links and removingthem from the mesh. v y

19.QA .machine for removing links' from form them to facilitate theirVremoval, an ejector engaging the deformed links andl moving them fromthe fabric into' recesses in the support, and means 'for removing' thelinks from the recesses.

20. A machine for removing linksl from link mesh fabricy which comprisesther'combination of a support for a piece ofmeshr movable:` to advancethe latter, amember co operating with vthe support to hold themeshagainst vmovement thereon, a "tool movable through the openings in thesupport toen-"f gage links inthe fabricand deform thema to facilitatetheir removal, and an ejector'car-l ried by said member and operativeto4force said deformedlinks from the mesh.

21. A machine for removing links from link mesh fabric whichl comprisesthe combination of a support for a piece of mesh movable to advance thelatter, a member coopera-ting with the support to hold the mesh againstmovement thereon, a tool movable through the openings in the support toengage links in the fabric and deform them to facilitate their removal,an ejector carriedy by said member and operative to force said deformedlinks from the mesh and into said openings, and means for removing saidlinks from said openings.

22. In a machine for removing links from link mesh fabric thecombination of a rotary element for supporting and advancing a piece ofmesh, said kelement having openings through it to expose links in thepiece of mesh, a member movable toward and away from the support and inits advanced position engaging the mesh on the support and holding itagainst movement, a tool Within the support operable through saidopenings successively to deform the link exposed in member operable toforce the deformed link Vfrom the mesh.

23. In a machine for removing links from link mesh fabric, thecombination of atool having mesh holding means at its end and providedwith an ejector movable relative to the remainder of the tool, a secondtool having an end shaped to deform a link, means for supporting andadvancing a piece of mesh between the tools with a step by step motion,and means operating the tools in the periods of rest of the mesh tocause them to hold the mesh, deform a link therein, and eject thedeformed link.

24. In a machine for removing links from 6 Y nazisme` link mesh fabric,a holding and ejecting tool com risin a body termlnating in spaced memrs s aped to en age portions of a piece of mesh around a lin to beremoved, and a plunger in the body aligned with the middle of the spacebetween said members and movable into and out of the body.

25. In a machine for removing spiders from fish-scale mesh, acylindrical support for the mesh having openings spaced to underliespiders in a row in the mesh and pins entering rings in the mesh, meansfor advancing the support with a step by step movement, a tool movabletoward and away from the support for engaging rings in the meshconnected to the spider to be removed and holding those rings firmlyagainst the support, a tool movable throu h an opening in the support toengage an deform said spider, an

ejector operable to force the deformed spider from the mesh and intosaid opening, and means for removing the spider from said opening.

` In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRED H. LYNDS.

